Night time Terror

[katie80]

How long do you have in between grandma leaving and you leaving on your trip?  If it's a week or two, I think you definitely have enough time to get started.  He may regress a bit on the trip, but usually it comes back quicker once you've already put in the tough work of training.  That being said, if you don't think you will be committed fully because of the trip and/or his current teething, then it might be worth it to wait.  There's not much of a difference in sleep training an 11/12/13mo old, as I'm assuming he's already pulling up to standing in the crib and moving around in it.

If you're going to wait, I would definitely do it starting in his room and put up a bed for you to sleep in the first few nights as well.  He is used to sleeping in the same bedroom as you and you will want to reestablish trust with him after CIO, so this will be the best way to do that.

What do you believe would give the best results in getting him to calm himself and sleep on his own?

I'm not exactly sure what you're asking here and if I've answered it above, but I would say to be really consistent in how you sleep train, reassuring him but not giving help when it's not needed.  Use your voice and encourage him to do what he is capable of doing (lying down and going to sleep), even though he hasn't done it before.  At this age, he is really starting to understand what you say, so explain to him that he will be going to sleep in his crib, you will stay with him, but he needs to lie down and go to sleep, etc etc.  It may not seem like he's ever going to calm down the first time you try, but I promise he eventually will and will learn how to do it on his own.

Hope that helps!  Please let us know what other questions you have.

[JLHaberle]

He has 3 weeks between grandma leaving and us leaving on our trip. Right now he is sleeping pretty good with us keeping him on his new schedule and it only takes me about 5 minutes of rocking to get him to sleep. He is doing better with being put down in his crib as well. I bought a pad that vibrate and it has helped calm him when he starts to fuss when I lay him down.
He is cutting two teeth on the bottom right now so he has been really attached to holding onto mommy. We have started giving Tylenol around his first nap, tablet if need be during the day and night time gel for bed, he has been pretty good with that.

I do believe that I will wait until he is in his own room to start this new part of the routine. I plan on putting his crib right up against the bed so I can lay down right next to him and rub his back while we both lay down. He freaks out anytime he is put in the crib so I am sure that it will be a big challenge to get him to lay down.

Can any of you ladies write out a mock routine for me? With the current routine we have, we eat, bath, play with soft toys that make no noise and then bedtime. I rock him while we lay down together or pat his butt... From that can you give me a guideline to work with.
I love my cuddle times but believe that we will all be a whole lot happier when he sleeps on his own.

[katie80]

With the current routine we have, we eat, bath, play with soft toys that make no noise and then bedtime. I rock him while we lay down together or pat his butt... From that can you give me a guideline to work with.
I love my cuddle times but believe that we will all be a whole lot happier when he sleeps on his own.

Sure, you've got a great start, really.  While you're still putting him to sleep the way you are, I'd go ahead and add in a song or book that you always do (the book being dependent on his personality, as some spiriteds and touchies are too stimulated by book reading before sleeping), so that he has another cue that it's sleep time.  Do you have a chair or anything you could sit in and cuddle together or even rock a bit before you lay him down?  You certainly don't have to lose out on any cuddles... there is plenty of time during the day to still do that and before bed.  You just dont want to cuddle him all the way to sleep.

[JLHaberle]

I don't have a chair but I'm sure I could make sure with the mattress that will be in the room. I could just use the edge to sit on and read to him. I have started reading him "I love you forever". It was my face kids book and I wanted to share it with him
Since I changed his schedule getting him to sleep has been easy. I have really enjoyed him taking hour long naps, allowing me the down time I need for school work.

Thank you ladies for the continued support through this.

[Erin M]

It sounds like you're doing great! 

[katie80]

It sounds like you're doing great! 

Agreed... and we'll be here to support you getting him to sleep independently as well!

[JLHaberle]

So for the past couple weeks, I have planned with lil man's schedule to nail down the best schedule possible for both of us. I think I have it down pretty good, still having some good days and bad but its all to be expected. He goes to sleep so much better now that he naps better.
We are still dealing with night wakings but they are only 10-20 minutes long and I am able to soothe him most the time without bringing him to bed with me. Some nights, he does win and gets to sleep on the big bed but seems to fall asleep right off the bat and sleeps very well and long. He has started this new thing of 2-3 hour daytime nap but then power nap in the later afternoon nap.
Its all just a work in progress. When we get from Oregon at the end of the month and after all the excitement of his birthday parties, I plan on moving him to his own room and start working on independent sleeping with him. I will be asking for a lot of help and support then 
Thanks for the continued support

[katie80]

So glad to hear he's setttling better. Please do come back for support when you work on independent sleep... it's always nice to have a hand to hold and there are lots of ladies here who would love to help you through it!